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WHO ARE MAURYA’S?
Maurya’s were the foremost kings/rulers of India. Their empire, led by Chandragupta Maurya, was known for unifying North and Southwest of India into one state.
This is what Maurya’s restaurant on 18th Nov street is all about.
A beautiful, eye candy amalgamation of food in a Thali form from the North and South of India is its signature.
With resplendent interiors and food fit for royalty is what they have in store for you.
Thali (Indian style meal, made up of a selection of various dishes served on a platter) is what I was recommended to try on our visit.
The beauty of a thali is that it offers 6 different flavors: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy on one single plate.
MAHARAJA THALI FIT FOR ROYALTY
As per Indian tradition, food should be a perfect balance of all of these 6 flavours.
The vegetarian Thali is what I chose and it comprised of Kadhai Paneer, Daal Makhani, Bean and Carrot Thoran, Dal Wada, Malai Broccoli Kebab, Aloo Gobhi Kurma, Veg Jalfrezi, Sooji Halwa, Veg Pulao, Sprouts Salad, Rotis, Yoghurt and Pickle.
Outstanding presentation with minutest detail to every curry.
Even the Daal Makhani (black lentils) was garnished with a swirl of cream.
I’ve observed that while serving a thali, many places do not pay attention to the garnishing exercise but here I was impressed.
FOOD REVIEW
Indian food is my soul! I cook it day in and day out and I travel extensively in India to taste it.
And I must say, Maurya’s did a fine job!
Somehow because of my palate’s preference, I devoured the North Indian portions of this thali more.
Kadhai Paneer was spot on, the flavours were just right.
A dry preparation of cottage cheese with bell pepper juliennes had that perfect ” Kadhai ” punch that comes with the right balance of fenugreek and other spices used. Loved this!
The Daal Makhani was creamy and thick texture wise and very aromatic.
The Vegetable Pulao was fragrant and smelt sweet thanks to the rose essence drizzled on it and the long grain basmati rice did great justice to this humble pulao.
I am a rice lover and despite its huge portion, I couldn’t stop myself from polishing it off!
The Bean and Carrot Thoran (a coconut based Keralite dry preparation of vegetables) was nice and the Kurma (curry) was just average .
The Daal Vada failed to impress me as I found it hard.
The Mixed Vegetable Jalfrezi curry was spicy and delectable.
I loved the crunchy Moong Sprouts Salad. Generally, sprouts salad when infused with lime juice and onions tends to get all soggy but this remained crunchy throughout. I really enjoyed the light flavour of this salad. Minimal spice usage enhanced its taste.
The Malai Broccoli which was a vegetarian answer to Malai (cream) Chicken Tikka was melt in the mouth. The tandoori spice coating it was mild and not over spicy. Despite being char grilled, the Broccoli remained soft and moist. It did not disintegrate despite being sensitive to grilling.
Watching the tikkas being made before me through the glass wall was a nice little touch as well.
The Rotis were hot and crispy and made from wholewheat flour. This made them easy to break and light on the tummy.
The Sooji (semolina) Halwa was prepared in ghee which lent that soft, gooey texture to this scrumptious dessert. Topped with nuts, this was reminiscent of my childhood days where my mother served sooji halwa to me with hot poories.
That exact homely taste was replicated by the Chef.
With swigs of Masala Chaas (spiced butter milk), I devoured every morsel from the thali.
OVERALL RATING
The burst of flavours, the combinations of hearty North and South Indian food placed me in gastronomical heaven!
Nowhere I felt sick and heavy after the meal as the thali was hard to finish, which indicates that the cooking oil used was of good quality.
Delicious!
The evening was magical! The staff was attentive and courteous.
I enjoyed my food.
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